This invention relates generally patient support equipment for the healthcare field, and more particularly to a patient positioning apparatus and method for facilitating a spinal tap procedure.
The difficult aspect of performing a spinal tap, is avoiding the spinous processes which protect the spinal canal. Various devices have been invented and patented in the past to facilitate the performance of a spinal tap. Examples of which I am aware are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,357,982; 5,289,603; 4,732,145; 4,660,552; 4,444,381; 4,223,670; 3,984,093; and 3,829,079. Many of these devices are arranged to provide patient positioning and restraint features to facilitate a spinal tap or surgical procedure on a patient lying on his or her side, and appear to be better suited to pediatric patients than to adult patients.
There is a need for apparatus facilitating the spinal tap procedure and wherein such apparatus is of simpler construction, easier for the physician to use, readily adaptable to positioning adult patients of various heights and builds, readily movable from place-to-place, and easy to store. The present invention addresses these needs.